Abel to Yzerman

DET (39-17-2) look to add to their NHL record home winning streak, now at 21, when they host NSH (33-18-6) tonight. It won’t be easy, especially since Zetterberg is out with the ethereal “lower body injury.” The Predators sit third in the Central, 8 points behind the Wings. Although NSH are only 2-2-2 this month, they were incredibly hot heading into February, going 13-2-0. As usual, Pekka Rinne has been leading their charge, a stupidly obscene 11-1-2, 1.91, .940 in last 14 games played.

Sparty moves up to the #2 line tonight, in Hank’s stead (Go Green). Joey MacDonald is in net again, 3-0-0 in his last three, 1.62 GAA, .938 save % (even better than JFH?). LGRW.

Joey MacDonald will make his sixth consecutive start in goal for Detroit. Henrik Zetterberg is out with a lower-body injury, listed as day-to-day. Danny Cleary will miss two more games after having fluid from his left knee drained for a second time this week. Tomas Tatar was recalled from the Grand Rapids Griffins. Abdelkader will replace Zetterberg at center on the line with Valtteri Filppula and Jiri Hudler.

Comments

Posted by
42jeff
from The greater Howard City, MI metroplex on 02/17/12 at 11:47 AM ET

I fully expect NAS to overtake STL shortly and be our main remaining Central competition.

However, no reason the Wings shouldn’t be able to win this. Look at those Top 4 scorers on their team. Yeeeaahhhh…

Anyhow, NAS is a team you simply outwork. DET needs to be prepared to outwork them, because if you can NAS has no real backup plan or capability. Beat NAS to loose pucks, muck in the corners, and get lots of shots on (and through to) Rinne (because NAS does a good job blocking shots).

I fully expect NAS to overtake STL shortly and be our main remaining Central competition.

Word. But is it do to NAS being on a roll, STL slowing down (with the tough schedule coming up), both, or because the Hockey Gods say so?

My point is, does STL drop below the 5 seed or do we see a NSH-STL 4/5 Matcup in the first round? It’d make it easier for us to only have to face 1 or none of those teams, I hate series against physical teams with brainless goons (Calgary/Anaheim in 07, any series with NSH even after the Hartnell loss, STL is too dumb not to goon it up).

Posted by
Sullyosis
from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 02/17/12 at 12:29 PM ET

Sully, I see STL as still being a 4 or 5, and NAS in the 4 or 5 too, unless CHI suddenly finds switch to flip that I don’t think they have in them. Wouldn’t be a total surprise though for STL to slip to 6 or 7 if things start to fall apart during the long road stretch they have against good teams (especially if the players start to get tired of Hitchcock).

I’m not sure CHI necessarily even makes the playoffs. They have serious problems there. They won to end their winless skid, but there could be a lot more losses on the way. Goalie is hardly the only problem there…

And not to mention that it was against a (L)eastern conference opponent, which is also their last win before the 9-game skid started for them.

They are still in danger of losing to the majourity of their Western Conf opponents, and if so and they miss the playoffs I hope we draw either Phx (so I can see them) or COL in the first round (so Mule can heat up and I can laugh-tuzzi).

Posted by
Sullyosis
from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 02/17/12 at 01:58 PM ET

I’m not sure how soon we can expect the Predators to make up a 5-point deficit on the Blues.

The Blues have 9 of 25 remaining games at home, but the Predators only have 12.

Of the Blues’ schedule, 13 of those games are against teams I expect to make the playoffs (Minnesota and Anaheim are not in that list). 16 of the Preds’ games are. St. Louis is significantly better defensively and at 5-on-5.

Just to throw them in there, Chicago has 12 of 24 remaining at home. 16 of those are against likely playoff opponents (although three of those are taken from the fact that they play Toronto, Ottawa, New Jersey, and Washington still).

I still think Chicago gets hot and figures enough of it out to make the playoffs. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s probably only slightly more likely that Chicago catches Nashville than it is that Nashville catches St. Louis, but I agree that the final standings in the west are going to have the Preds and Blues playing each other in the first round.

The Red Wings haven’t lost at home since Nov. 3, when they fell in overtime to Minnesota 4-1. That is their only loss at Joe Louis Arena this season. They are 24-1 there.
Yi-hi-hi-hi-hiiikes.
You almost want to feel badly when you come across a Nashville hockey fan who doesn’t know the game. With journalism like that, how can you blame them?
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 02/17/12 at 12:22 PM ET

Deep Throat tells me the Wings last loss at home was Thursday November 3, 2012 to the Calgary Flames by a score of 4-1, that the Wings have only lost three times on home ice this season, and that 18 minute gap on the tapes was Dick getting freaky with Pat in the Oval Office.

Such information is hard to come by, from sources that are difficult to cultivate. I can understand why The Tennessean got it wrong.

Posted by
Bob Woodward
from a deserted parking structure on 02/17/12 at 04:05 PM ET

Thanks, Jeff. I raise my warm cup of Java to your GDT. Cheers.

It won’t be easy, especially since Zetterberg is out with the ethereal “lower body injury.”

Some of the hfboards denizens speculate that it’s a right leg injury when he crashed into the boards awkwardly in the first period. It’s the kind of injury that you don’t feel when you’re warm and your blood circulation is pumping pain-killing adrenaline but you sure as hell feel it the next day.

Referees:
Dean Morton (#36)
Kevin Pollock (#33) <=============

Linesmen:
Scott Cherrey (#50)
Mike Cvik (#88)

If there is ever a guy who learned how to call craptacular game from Stephen Walkom, it’s him. We’re so fuched…

Just for creativity sake it might be fun to see Tatar on a line with Filppula and Hudler. Babs may be concerned about defensive responsibility on that line, Abby is quite good in that regard and Babs wants that characteristic getting the more minutes on the ice.

Scoring goals against NSV is never too easy, will need Abby mucking it up in front of the net.

So Z now a gametime decision?

Posted by
RWBill
from lead guitarist for The Pompous Dicks. on 02/17/12 at 04:30 PM ET

Just for creativity sake it might be fun to see Tatar on a line with Filppula and Hudler.

The stats above establish one heretofore previously hidden and never before mentioned fact.

It is advantageous for Detroit to have a wide margin of home games remaining while StL has a wide margin of away games.

It took a lot of digging to come up with that nugget. You’re welcome.

Posted by
RWBill
from lead guitarist for The Pompous Dicks. on 02/17/12 at 06:15 PM ET

..pffffffffftghhhhhgghhhaaaarrrrrggggggggg

So much of what goes on in here is over my head…....

Posted by
RWBill
from lead guitarist for The Pompous Dicks. on 02/17/12 at 06:19 PM ET

Holland didn’t want to reveal what the Wings will do when Howard returns, but he did say that “in pro hockey, it’s what have you done for me lately. It’s a competitive environment. Ty had the job all year, and he had some good games, he had some not-so-good games. All you have to do is look at the stats. Right now, Joey is the No. 2 guy.”

The Wings have the roster space to carry three goalies, “but that’s not an ideal option,” Holland said.

Quoted from Helene in the Freep. Reading the tea leaves, it looks like Conk is on the block and if no one wants him, to the waiver wire he goes.

About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: wphoulihan@gmail.com